Dental articulator.



W. W. EVANS.

DENTAL ARTICULATOR.

APPLICATION FILED D2018, 1911.

1,055,894, Patented Mar. 11, 1913.

' WITNESS/5S L-VVENTO/e W. W. EVANS.

DENTAL ARTICULATOR.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.18,1911.

1,055,894. Patented Mar. 11, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Av 175N701) UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM W. EVANS, OF HAMILTON, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE S. S. WHITE DENTAL MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

DENTAL ARTICULATOR.

i s To-all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, VILLIAM W. Evans,

of Hamilton, in the county of Loudoun and State of Virginia, have. invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dental Articuvlators; and I do hereby declare the follow- 1 ing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in dental articulators of the so-called anatomi- 'eal class which comprise lowerand upper model-holding members, frames or aws having hinged connection with each other to permit of a direct opening and closing of the jaws, and also a connection permitting, of a lateral rocking movement of the jaws crosswise of the plane of movement in opening and closing the jaws and also a backward and forward 'lnovel'nent in the median line; artienlators of this class also being provided with adjustable condyle plates to permit of the articulator being adjusted to accommodate the varying eonjlyle paths found in ditl'erent imliridnals.

The object of all dentalarticulators of the anatomical clans is to produce the most perfectand. natural articulatioi'i and occlusion of artificial teeth mounted upon plates to be worn in the mouth. This object is usually sought to be accomplishcd by so -o|icomplished by providing an adjustment of the. eondyle plates t'mrard aml away from each other.

\Vith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in' certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts as hereinafter set. forth and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanyingdrawings, Figure 1 is a prospective view of an artieulator em- Specitication of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 11,1913.

Application filed'Decembcr '18, 1911. Serial No. 666,404

hodying my improvements; Fig. 2 is a plan view. of the same; Fig. 3 is a side elevation; Fig. at is a transverse section on the line :e-m of Fig. 5; Fig. .5 is a front elevation; Fig. (3 is a front elevation illustrating the laterally extensible feature of the device; Fig. 7 is a sectional view on the line g -y of Fig. 3; Fig. 8 is a detail view showing the stops for insuring the normal positions of the hinge bar and the upper model yoke; and Fig. 9 illustrates one form of. the interchangeable slotted plates of the oondyle hinge construction.

The articulator comprises a lower member or jaw 1 consisting of a base 2, uprights .4, a head 5, and a model-holding bow or yoke- (3'; and an upper member or jaw consisting of a head 17, a hinge-bar 29 and a model-holding how or yoke 31. hows are detachably connected to the lower The model-holding and upper frames, for which purpose the base 2 of the lower member is provided with. v

soelteted extensions 3 and set'serews 7 and the. hinge-bar 29 of the upper frameis pro vided with socketed extensions 30 and set screws 32. The lower and upper members .are yieldingly united by a spring connection 'rearwardly. from the head 17 0f the upper uu-mber. An adjustable nut. 27 on the rod 15 atl'ords l'a-aring l'or one end of the spring 24, the other cndof which bears upon the lug 2 To provide a substantial connection between the members, the head 5 of the lower member is formed with sl'ioulders 9.2 and 23 against which bear shoulders 20 and 21 formed on the head 17 of the upper member, the spring J-l serving to normally hold the. shoulders of the upper member in contact with the shouldersot thelowermember. (Amd 'lc plates 30" 36 are et'mmwted one to each sideof the head 5 of the lower member. Each condyle plate is provided with an elongated slot 38", into or through which passes an extension rod 16 of the head 17. of the upper member. nected as to be capable of being rocked so. that the slots 38 constiti'iting the eondyle pathsmay be placed in different positions to correspond with the eondyle Paths in'any particular patient being treated, itof course The condylc plates 36 are so con-.'

being understood that the two plates are ad- ]usted correspondingly. This construction provides for the lateral rocking movement mal position with the shouldersof the headsproperly abutting against each other.

In articulators of this'class as heretofore constructed the 'pintles of the hinge connection between the upper and lower members extend through the slots of the condyle plates. Instead of this construction I have provided the head- 17 with extension rods 16 16, separate and distinct from the pintles', these extension rods, as before explained, passing through the slots 38 of the condyle plates 36. The pintles of the hinge-bar 29 of the upper member are seated in lugs 28 on the head 17 of said upper member. This construction it will be seen provides for the direct opening and closing movements of the jaws Without moving the extension rods which pass through the slots of the condyle plates, the advantage of which construction will further on be made plain.

The condyle plates 36 are constructed and connected as follows :--Rigidly secured to the end of each extension rod 8 of the head 5 of the lower member is' a supporting plate 14, against the outside of which the condyle plate 3o bears. Each condyle plate is connected to its supporting plate in such manner that the condyle plate may be turned or rocked about the extension rod 16 as a center, so that by turning said plate its elongated slot 38 (the condyle path) may be adjusted into any desired position without disturbing its proper relation to said extension rod 16 which passes through said slot. This may be accomplished, for example, by a threaded lug 38 projecting from the supporting plate 14, passing thro h a slot 37 in the condyle plate and descri ing an are about the extension rod 16, a nut 39 on said lug serving to clamp the condyle plate to its supporting plate. A seat 15 may be formed in each of the fixed supporting plates 14 for the reception of the extension rods 16 which rest in said seat whensaid rods are in their normal position, which is 'when the before mentioned shoulders 2,021 of the head 17 of the upper member are seated against the knobs 41 or theends of said extension rods maybe formed with sockets 42 to provide for face-bows or other measuring devices used in connection with the articulator.

In addition to the usual direct opening and closing movements of the upper and lower members provided for by the hinged connection, a movementessential to all dental articulators; and to the lateral rocking movement of said members, including the adjustable condyle plates, made so for the purpose of reproducing the various planesof condyle paths which differ in diflerent individuals, I have provided another adjustment of said condyle plates. This is'a lateral adjustment .of said plates toward and away from each other, the object of which is to accommodate or reproduce the distance apart of the human condyles which difier in each individual. The construction roviding for this adjustment may be desc'rlbed as follows -T he head 5 of the lower memberis tubular or formed with sockets to which the extension rods 8 are slidably fitted. The head 17 of the upper member is similarly formed with sockets in which the extensionrods 16 are slidably fitted, the latter beingprovided with grooves 18 for the reception of set screws 19 for holdin said extension rods in adjusted position. i y means of construction the condyle plates 36 as Welles their supporting plates 14 may be .asily adjusted. Simple locking means, as shown-, consist of beaded screws 9 passing through elongated slots 10 in the head 5 and screwing into the extension rods 8.

these movements.

plates in any position to whichthey may be If desired the head 5 may be formed with graduated scales 13 opposite each siotr 10..

and a pointer or index 12 -movable with each extension rod 8 for the purpose of des-j ignating the exact location ofthe condyle plates.

The operation and advantages 50f n' y -iins;

. 6 lows :Plaster models of the lup'er: audit;- lower human jaws having art1fic1a'; l teeth,

proved articulator, briefly stated,'are as fol;

mounted upon them are secured to-the per and-Lower bows or yokes 31 and 6, res

spectively in the usual manner. By means of the hinge connection between the hinge.

bar 29v and the head 17- ofthe upper member, the models may be opened and closed,

an adjusting screw 34 seated in an arm 33. projecting forwardly from the hinge-bar 29" and adapted to bear upon a forward projection 35 on 'the head '5 of the lower member, serving to determine the proper 'relation between the upper and lower models. 811100 the hinge connection is between the hingenormally in contact with each other; extension rods projecting from the ides of the head of the lower section, condyle plates can ried by said extension rods, elongated slots in said plates. extension rods projecting from the sides of the head of the upper member, said rods passing through the elon gated slots of said condyle plates, the extension rods of both the lower and upper heads having slidzihl-e connection with said head, means for locking said extension rods in any position to which they may he ad justed.

7. In an articulator, the combination with a lower member comprising a head and means for securing a model-holding bow; of an uppermember comprising a head and means for securing a modclholding how; means for vieldinglv holding said heads normally in contact with each other; extension rods projecting from the sides of the head of the lower section, condyle plates carried by said extension rods, rocking connections between said plates and said extension rods, means for locking said plates in any position to which they may be adjuster elongated slots in said plates; and extension rods projecting from the sides of the head of the upper member, said rods passing through the elongated slots in said condylc plates.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM \V. EVANS.

Witnesses:

R. S. FERGUSON, GrEORGE F. lKDWNING. 

